Method for ad pod handling in live media streaming

Abstract

There is provided a method for handling client device advertisement playlists, ad pods, and insertion of ad pods in a live or linear media content stream in a media distribution system ( 100 ) for distributing media content from a streaming source ( 50 ), e.g. a broadcast location (TV network, local TV studio, cable system, etc.) via a primary network to a streaming server ( 101 ) to client devices, when providing dynamic server-side advertisement insertion at an ad insertion server ( 130 ) which may be integrated in a streaming edge server ( 101 ) or free-standing, during live streaming of media content to a plurality of clients ( 151 - 153 ). The method comprises sending ad requests to an ad server ( 110 ) and pre-generating ad pods for each client in a speculative manner before an upcoming ad break is initiated. The media distribution system may typically be of IP type for live distribution of media content streams, e.g. video and/or audio, in view of which aspects of the inventive concept will be described.

1 . A method for handling client advertisement ad pods for dynamic server-side advertisement insertion during an ad break in live streaming of a media content stream to a plurality of client devices, said method comprising:
 pre-generating individual ad pods for each client device of said plurality of client devices by:
 sending at least one ad request to an ad server; and 
 receiving in response to each ad request an individual ad playlist for the client device from said ad server. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of pre-generating individual ad pods for said plurality of client devices is distributed over time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of sending for a client device at least one ad request is initiated:
 before streaming said media content stream,   by a client login of said client device,   directly after a current ad break is delivered, or   by exhaust of a set retention time for an individual ad pod of said client device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a retention time, location of ad clips, and type of content for each individual ad pod is selected in accordance with a business rule-set and/or in response to ad request information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ad request comprises information regarding at least one of: ad provider, service provider, subservice provider, media stream content, media stream objects, and information identifying the client device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising pre-loading ad clips based on said client devices with corresponding ad pods. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein pre-generating individual ad pods further comprises forming for each client device a set of ad pods. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising for each client device selecting an ad pod to be inserted into a predetermined ad break from said set based on information indicating at least one of length of ad break, regional-, national-, or local ad break, and requested ABR profile. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein if a selected ad pod is shorter than the predetermined ad break, or if none or some of the ad clips have not been loaded for the selected ad pod, after finishing inserting/splicing of ad clips of the ad pod, the streaming server returns to one of:
 streaming said live media content stream, and   sending/streaming a slate until the predetermined ad break is over.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein if a selected ad pod is longer than the predetermined ad break and the length of the predetermined ad break is known, after streaming ad clips of the selected ad pod that fits into the predetermined ad break, the streaming server returns to streaming said live media content stream or to sending a slate until the predetermined ad break is over. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein if a selected ad pod is longer than the predetermined ad break and the length of the ad break is unknown, the streaming server streams all ad clips of the selected ad pod and subsequently returns to streaming said live media content stream, or the streaming server streams ad clips of the selected ad pod only until the predetermined ad break is over and cuts the remaining portion of the ad pod and returns to streaming the live media content stream. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reporting back per client device ad pod ad clip consumption statistics, wherein said reporting is performed in an asynchronous queue and/or spread out over a predetermined time. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising pre-generating ad pods with different predefined ABR profiles. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising for each client device monitoring information of an ABR profile used for streaming media content before an upcoming ad break and selecting an ad pod with the same ABR profile or a lower ABR profile for insertion during said ad break. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising changing ABR profile of the ad pod content to individual client devices based on the current network performance to that individual client device. 
     
     
         16 . A server configured to handle client advertisement ad pods for dynamic server-side advertisement insertion during an ad break in live streaming of a media content stream to a plurality of client devices, the server comprising:
 memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and   at least one computer processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
 pre-generate individual ad pods for each client device of said plurality of client devices by:
 sending at least one ad request to an ad server; and 
 receiving in response to each ad request an individual ad playlist for the client device from said ad server. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein said step of pre-generating individual ad pods for said plurality of client devices is distributed over time. 
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein said step of sending for a client device at least one ad request is initiated:
 before streaming said media content stream,   by a client login of said client device,   directly after a current ad break is delivered, or   by exhaust of a set retention time for an individual ad pod of said client device.   
     
     
         19 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein a retention time, location of ad clips, and type of content for each individual ad pod is selected in accordance with a business rule-set and/or in response to ad request information. 
     
     
         20 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein said ad request comprises information regarding at least one of: ad provider, service provider, subservice provider, media stream content, media stream objects, and information identifying the client device.